Draken at the World Equestrian Games

Draken at Equine Village

This the video of our last demo at the Equine Village at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY. Unfortunately it is rather far away but since it is the only video that I have we'll make do.

Very cool responses

Draken and I had a blast at the event.  I'll be putting up more photos and video soon but in the mean time I have to tell you that I had, for the first time, someone ask me for my autograph!  How cool is that!?!  As a result of our demo this was posted on Facebook:

 Had a nice visit with Kathleen and her Dad. I think of all the STB horses I enjoyed watching her and Draken the most - they BOTH loved what they were doing and it showed.

There have also been some nice comments left on the blog.  Thank you to everyone!!!  I think both Draken and I get more out of it when the crowd is into it, even when that "crowd" is on FB.

Pictures!

I worried so much about my outfit, I really wanted something that photographed well but wasn't too flashy.  I think it worked out, don't you?

Draken's WEG demo!

This is just a quick view of Draken. You'll see his fellow Standardbreds Pro Gem and "Legs."

Group photo

We took this group photo at the Red Mile Race Track in front of the Hall of Memories on Saturday.  We're all decked out in out donated blankets, halters and shirts.  Thanks to all of our sponsors!

Draken is in KY!

Draken arrived yesterday afternoon at the Red Mile in Lexington, KY.  Thank you to the Red Mile Race Track for hosting the "Standardbred Stars."   We will be using their infield later this afternoon for a practice session and then heading into the Kentucky Horse Park tomorrow morning.

New Vocations

On Weds. I had the opportunity to volunteer in the New Vocations Racehorse Adoption tent for a couple of hours.  What a great program!  Feel free to check it out at http://www.horseadoption.com/.  They work with both Thoroughbred and Standardbred race horses.  Their adoption rate is amazing.  They do a great job of using social media to promote their horses.  Don't forget to check out their adoption blogs.

Quiet drive

This is just a nice little trip around the farm with Draken that was taken a couple of weeks ago.  It's kind of nice to take a break from the hussle and bussle of WEG to watch it.  I hope you enjoy it also.

Standardbreds on stage in Lexington during WEG

Standardbreds on stage in Lexington during WEG
Tuesday, September 28, 2010 - by Jessica Schroeder, U.S. Trotting Association Outreach


Columbus, OH --- Standardbreds will be presented during the World Equestrian Games starting this Thursday (Sept. 30) at the International Equestrian Festival.

Held in downtown Lexington, this trade show is honoring the Standardbred with a “USTA Breed Appreciation Day.” Laura Harbour and her 16-year-old pacing mare Veruca Salt will be demonstrating in the EcoTrack Park ring at 1:30 p.m. in the Lexington Convention Center. The USTA will also have a booth that day, adjacent to the stall Veruca Salt will be housed in, to answer any questions about Standardbreds, harness racing and using Standardbreds as pleasure and competitive riding horses.

Starting Oct. 3, eight Standardbreds will be presenting 30 minute sessions during WEG at the Kentucky Horse Park in the Equine Village Arena. The schedule for demonstrations is as follows:

Sunday, Oct. 3 – 5:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 4 – 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 5 – 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 6 – 12:30 p.m.

The following horses and their owners are coming from across the country to participate in the demonstrations:

Horse-Owner-Discipline

Draken-Kathleen Haak (PA)-Pleasure Driving
Dreamy Starlet-Elizabeth Tewksbury (ME)-Jumping
Jambalyabar Man-Helene Gregory (NJ)-Jumping
Pro Gem-Jennifer and Steven Sperry (CA)-Combined Driving Events
Road Kar-Lena O’Brien (NJ)-Hunter Under Saddle
Sea The Gray-SPHO-FL (FL)-Dressage
Veruca Salt-Laura Harbour (KY)-Western Pleasure
Whiz Bang-Tina Bombardo (FL)-Dressage

The USTA is also co-sponsoring a booth in the Trade Show at the Kentucky Horse Park in association with New Vocations Racehorse Adoption for the duration of WEG.

The “Standardbreds on Stage” would like to thank their trip sponsors: Callaway Farms, Finn Tack, JH Harness and SPHO-FL for donating shavings, blankets, halters and human logo-wear for this event

Shhh! Dressage Horses at Work

Today was a fantastic day! Yesterday it rained at the KHP but today was lovely. After my volunteer time I had the opportunity to see part of the dressage performance. I have to admit that dressage is not really my thing but it was much better in person then on TV. It was kind of funny though because if you talk while the horse is in the arena then someone will shush you. It's like golf or being in the library. lol But I have to admit when Edward Gal and Moorlans Totilas, who own the Grand Prix, Special and Freestyle world records, entered the ring it was enough to steal the words from your mouth. Below is some video of the event. Enjoy the skill!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Neighbors!

We're very lucky in the Central NY area to have some great horses.  Two of our neighbors are also showing here at WEG.  Both of them have Connemaras and are part of the Irish Village.

Cindy Fletcher and Hidden Meadow Farm presented Greystone's Adirondack A'Herne in harness.  In 2006 he was entered in his first driven dressage class at the Preliminary Level and won with a score of 69+ %. Harry and Cindy have also competed and won at the Lorenzo and Walnut Hill Driving Competitions. In fact, in 2008 “Harry” was the Reserve Champion Large Pony at Walnut Hill. For those who do not know, Walnut Hill is THE largest pleasure driving competition in North America. In 2007, at the urging of the German inspector, Harry was presented and approved as a German Riding Pony Stallion (the FIRST “US” born and bred stallion to receive such approval). Typically stallions are required to go through the 100 day testing; however, because Harry had such an impressive show record and driven dressage scores, he only needed to be inspected.

Tricreek Greystone Riley is an eight year old stallion by Greystone McErrill out of Cornerstone Arianna. Among other things, he is a Trail Class star! He won the Beryl Eddy Memorial Trophy at the Woodstock, Vermont Region 1 Connemara Show in both 2007 and 2009. He will go through or around almost anything, including a paint ball gun being fired at a metal sign, walking over a metal plank and pushing plastic barrels out of his way. He was Reserve Champion at the Oneida County Mounted Police Unit Trail Trial in 2009. He also competes in dressage, eventing, and hunter competitions, almost always with his brother, Tricreek Greystone Connor, with whom he exchanges first and second place regularly.

Here is a video of their first demo at WEG. 

 

Standardbred Star - Whiz Bang

Our Musical Dressage horse is  WHIZ BANG, ridden by Heather Caudill. WHIZ BANG competes in United States Dressage Federation recognized shows, and have achieved what many used to think was impossible.

WHIZ BANG is a 16.1, bay mare, owned by Tina Bombardo of Fruitland Park, Florida, and trained by Heather Caudill, of Wildwood, Fl. In 2007, WHIZ BANG became the first Standardbred in history, to be recognized for her dressage accomplishments by the United States Dressage Federation. She was the USDF All-Breed Award Champion at Training Level. In 2008, her trainer/rider guided WHIZ BANG to yet another medal… this time they were the USDF All-Breed Award Champions at First Level.  Musical Freestyles were successfully introduced into the mare’s training in March of 2009, resulting in qualifying and competing at the Regional Championship.   WHIZ BANG was the 2009 USDF All-Breed Award Reserve Champion in First Level Musical Freestyles.  In 2010 WHIZ BANG has earned the necessary qualifying scores for Second Level Musical Freestyle, and she will be competing at the 2010 Region Three Dressage Championship, held October 15-17 in Conyers, Georgia.  

WHIZ BANG has a saucy and sometimes fractious temperament, which causes days filled with both laughter and tears, but there is one thing Whiz Bang never is, and that is boring! Heather has taken WHIZ’s energy and channeled it into a positive framework.

Standardbred Stars - Pro Gem and Jennifer Sperry

Our Combined Driving Horse is PRO GEM, driven by Jennifer Sperry with her husband, Steve, navigating.  PRO GEM raced as a trotter in California until he was six years old, earning nearly $25,000 during his career.   This gelding quickly became a part of the family with his friendly and willing nature.  He has competed in California Combined Driving Events, also called CDE’s, driving as a single and in a pair. Combined Driving is an exciting spectator oriented sport similar to the under-saddle Three Day Event, testing the driving horse in his conditioning and versatility, as well as the capability and judgment of the driver. The speed necessary for today’s CDE’s can be seen in the history of the Standardbred breed. As a dependable and athletic horse, the Standardbred brought horse racing to the common man. Neighbors would challenge each other to race, each thinking they had the fastest horse. These harness races were a little different than mounted races, because the horses raced at the TROT…. the horses are NOT allowed to break gait into a canter or gallop. Pro Gem is a fine example of how well a Standardbred transitions from harness race horse to a competitive driving horse with the stamina, fitness and obedience needed to excel in this sport.  In a CDE Cones Course the object is to complete the course in the right sequence in the allowed time without knocking off any of the balls. This tests the horse’s agility and willingness, as well as the skill and accuracy of the driver.  The sport is open to all breeds and Standardbreds, like PRO GEM, with their natural trotting gait and agreeable personalities make great combined driving horses and can have successful second careers after leaving the racing world. 

Carriage shaft lengths

As I was looking at pictures from all the different shows this weekend I was struck by the many different carrages available.  I also noticed a wide variety of shaft lengths.  While I am by no means an expert I did want to pass on some resources that may help you choose the right shaft length for your horse.

The American Driving Society offers  a very nice table for getting started figuring out the correct shaft length for your horse.  The table didn't copy very well so please visit their site for more details but the basics are:

Table of Shaft Lengths and Widths for Traditional Style Vehicles
for Traditional Style Vehicles for Single Turnouts
Measurements in inches

Animal Height (in Hands) 17H 16H 15H 14H 13H 12H 11H 10H
Length of Shaft from Swingletree to Tip 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50
Height from Ground under Shafts at Back-band Tugs 55 52 49 46 43 40 36 32
Width between Shafts at Back-band Tugs 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18
Width of Swingletree 36 34 31 30 28.5 27 25.5 24
Length from Back-band Tug to Shaft Tip 24 22 20.5 19 17.5 16 14 12
Length from Back-band Tug Stop to Trace Hook 56 53 50 47 44 41 38 35
Distance from Breeching Staple to Trace Hook 30.5 29 27.5 26 24.5 23 21.5 20
Wheels - Diameter 51 48 45 42 39 36 33 30

You should also keep in mind what it is that you will be doing with the carriage.  Combined Driving carriages have shorter shafts, which makes sense since you're asking for quicker turns.   You don't want your horse to be poked in the shoulder every time he turns.

Standardbred Star - Road Kar and Lena O'Brien

Our Hunter Under Saddle is Lena O’Brien of Lambertville, NJ and her gelding, ROAD KAR. Road Kar had 128 starts at many different racetracks on the East Coast and won close to $300,000 by the time he was eight. He set a track record at Monticello Raceway in New York that was untouched for over ten years.

Eventually, ROAD KAR hung up his racing shoes and a new phase of his life started. He was adopted by Lena via the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, just two days after his final race. He began his saddle training, he learned to canter under saddle and go out on trails. Then horse shows entered his life, and ROAD KAR continued his winning ways, with many Blue Ribbons from The Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization of New Jersey and the United States Trotting Association’s Equestrian Program. Some highlights include the 2000 S-P-H-O Horse of the Year, The National Versatility, Driving and Equitation Champion as well as many wins in Non-Standardbred Open Classes.

He especially proves that there IS a rich rewarding life after racing. ROAD KAR competes in Pleasure Classes, Dressage, Driving, Hunters, Equitation, as well as Hunter Paces. Most special, though, ROAD KAR enjoys being the EQUINE Star during Anatomy classes at summer camp, where students often cover him with post-it-notes.

Standardbreds like to work and ROAD KAR is no exception. He has been Lena's partner for almost 12 years and they’ve had many wonderful experiences together.

Draken on the Progressive Cone Course

This is my mom, Joyce Haak, driving Draken on the progressive cone course.  How this works is that the width of the vehicle is measured.  The first set of cones are set 20'' wider than your wheels.  The 2nd set are 16'' wider, the 3rd are 12'' wider, etc until you get to the last set which are only 2 inches wider than your wheels.  Plus you have to worry about your angles when you approach the cones.  I usually knock down at least one ball but Mom had a clean round.  She also had one of the fastest.

Draken gets new shoes

Draken gets new shoes about every 4-6 weeks, or whenever my Dad, a professional farrier, has time in his schedule.  We like Draken to have a some snap when he trots so we actually keep his toe a little long.  Usually you put a weighted shoes on a horse to get more 'gait' but in Draken's case that just makes his trot flatter.  You have to be careful though or instead of having a horse with a lot of knee movement you end up with a horse tripping over his toes.

Chester Weber and Horus Du Bois

Just got the good news that we might have some time to meet with Chester Weber during the games.  If you don't know who he is, well, his name has become synonymous with Four-in-Hand driving throughout the world, becoming the first driver to win the USEF National Four-In-Hand Driving Championships seven consecutive years in a row. I was lucky enough to be at the Kentucky Cup and Lexington Driving Classic when he did.  His team won the dressage and cones phase and came in second to Australian driver Boyd Exell in the marathon. They is currently ranked No. 1 on the USEF’s Four-In-Hand Selectors’ Ranking List for WEG.

Also, Weber was named a 2008 USEF Equestrian of Honor and his horse, Jamaica, was the 2008 Farnam Platform/USEF Horse of the Year.  People often ask if Draken is getting too old to compete and I point out that he is the same age as Jamaica.  That said, the horse we're most interested in is a newer addition to the team, Horus Du Bois, a 15-year old French Trotter.  Here is Horus' bio from http://www.chesterweber.com/:

Horus is Team Weber's newest addition, however he is not new to the sport of Combined Driving. Horus was acquired by us to try to create more depth in our string for the lead in the marathon and cones, and he has done just that. This clever and fast French trotter was purchased from the Dutch driver Hans Heus who used him to lead his way onto the squad for the World Championships in Beesd this past summer. Heus often used him in all 3 phases in the lead which has brought Horus the experience and drivability that team Weber was searching for. Originally identified as a star for team Weber by friend and colleague Koos de Ronde, team Weber is hopeful that the addition of this clever leader will compliment the already dominant dressage team through adding more high-end speed and drivability to both the marathon and cones team. Who knows with his nice top line and expressive trot with a little knee movement team Weber might also be able to develop him in to a dressage star like the others in the string? Horus is a very kind and willing horse that not only exhibits the speed to lead the way on marathon day he also has a kind eye that makes him a favorite of those in the stable.

In March, following his win at the Sunshine State FEI event Mr. Weber was quoted as saying “Horus was in the lead and was like a cat. He did add significant speed to the marathon. I am excited about this new addition to Team Weber. Heus used him to lead his way onto the squad for the World Championships in Beesd, and Horus is certainly a clever horse. At Sunshine State he joined teammates Boy W, Rolex W and Para for marathon and cones.”

It's pretty easy to spot Horus in the team as he is the only bay.   Go Standardbreds!

Security will be tight for WEG

By John Cheves - jcheves@herald-leader.com

For the 16 days of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the Kentucky Horse Park should be the safest place in the state outside of Fort Knox.

Lexington and Kentucky State police will work with Kentucky National Guard troops and 1,000 paid and volunteer security guards to patrol the Horse Park, guide traffic, screen visitors and protect the yet-to-be-named Very Important Persons in the audience, some of whom are bringing their own security details.

"People will notice us. We want them to notice us and be comfortable, knowing that we've put real effort into the operation here," said Kevin Tyo, president of Event Security Consulting and Operations Inc., a Georgetown firm that won the primary security contract for WEG.

Security will be tight because the Games, like any large gathering of international visitors and VIPs, is a possible target for terrorism — although officials say they're unaware of any specific threats — and more routine kinds of crime, such as theft.

WEG's high profile is keeping law enforcement on its toes. As many as 60,000 visitors are expected to crowd the park on the busiest days, such as when the popular cross-country competition is held. The Games will be televised to scores of nations by hundreds of journalists from around the globe.

WEG officials haven't confirmed the guest list because of security concerns and because many of those invited have not responded, but it's likely to include government leaders and entertainment celebrities.

Past and present leaders of the International Equestrian Federation, the ruling body of WEG, include Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein of Jordan, its current president; Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa of Bahrain; Prince Philip, husband of Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth; and the Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón, sister of Spain's King Juan Carlos. Some are likely to attend.

A large delegation of French officials will attend to accept the hand-over for the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy.

Some entertainers in town to perform during WEG — such as actor John Lithgow and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan — will attend the Games.

Visitor checkpoints

Arriving at the park, all visitors must walk through the main checkpoint. Guards will search bags and remove prohibited items, including food, drinks, umbrellas and weapons. Tickets will be scanned for authenticity.

Accredited journalists covering the Games will be searched at their own checkpoint. The journalists, who will have more behind-the-scenes access than the general public, were required to submit their names and personal information for background checks.

The National Guard will patrol the perimeter to keep anyone from sneaking into the park from neighboring horse farms, and security guards will be stationed at the entrance to at least one of the farms with the owner's permission, Tyo said.

Parts of the Horse Park will be off-limits to all but essential personnel, Tyo said. The barns and stables, where the competing horses are to be kept, will have the highest security to prevent anyone from injuring horses or otherwise interfering with the competition.

The Grooms Village, where grooms and other participants will live in trailers, will be off limits to protect the residents' privacy.

More than 100 video surveillance cameras are being installed throughout the park, in addition to the existing security system. The cameras will let guards monitor the crowds from the Security Command Center at the park, which will be staffed throughout the day, Tyo said. The center also will watch the weather in case storms threaten to develop.

100-mile challenge

Perhaps the greatest logistical challenge is the 100-mile endurance run involving up to 80 riders, Tyo said. It will include members of the family of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai.

Tyo said his guards are working with Lexington police, WEG officials and the sheikh's personal detail to secure the six loops comprising the endurance route, which include 12 road crossings in the area and cover land on several private farms.

Finally, Tyo said, he is prepared to establish a secured "free speech area" near the park if animal rights groups or other protesters arrive. At present, no protesters are expressing an interest in WEG, he said.

Tyo would not say how much his company will be paid out of WEG's $76 million operating budget.

The Kentucky State Police has budgeted $1.3 million to cover its WEG costs, Lt. David Jude said. None of that is expected to be reimbursed.

Lexington police have budgeted no extra money for WEG because they don't expect the Games or the city's accompanying Spotlight Lexington Festival to require overtime, said police spokeswoman Sherelle Roberts. Existing shifts should be adequate, Roberts said.

"We should be able to do WEG and Spotlight Lexington and still be able to handle the calls we get from the community," Roberts said.



Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/09/05/1421637/security-will-be-tight-for-weg.html#ixzz0yw6P35Ys

Standardbred Star - JB and Helene Gregory

As a three-year old, our Show Jumping representative, JB, made a smooth transition from harness race horse to riding horse in 2005. Helene Gregory and JB teamed up in 2008 and in their first year together, they were High Point Standardbred at the Meadow Hunter Jumper Series in Mount Holly, New Jersey. They were also the Grand Champion in the Equitation Division at the 2008 National Standardbred Show, and the 2009 Grand Champion in Equitation and In-harness Division. They repeated as the High Point Standardbred at the 2009 Meadow Hunter/Jumper Series.

JB has a natural gift for the sport of jumping, and as they strive to compete at open jumping in the three-foot range, Helene and JB are having fun while showcasing the Standardbred breed. Helene hopes to show fellow equestrians, that Standardbreds aren’t just for racing anymore!

Helene and JB's 2009 SPHO awards include:
National High Point Standardbred of the Year Award
Versatility
Equitation

Amoung other photos, the first driving horse pictured in this video is Helene and JB.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Driving Draken on Labor Day course with helmet camera rolling

Here we go! Another view of our Labor Day driving course. This was the first time using the helmet camera. Unfortunately all the sound that the camera recorded was squeeks, no hoof beats, no carriage rattles, just squeeks. Not quite sure what I did wrong but to correct it I recorded a soundtrack for it, which is also a first. Let me know if you like it.

Artist with a chain saw carves for WEG - 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games - Kentucky.com

Artist with a chain saw carves for WEG - 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games - Kentucky.com

"It's a little bit of an odd story," said Isaac Bingham.

That's a little bit of an understatement.

Because the tale that finds Bingham revving up a chain saw to carve giant squirrels and fish at the Kentucky Horse Park begins in Vermont, winds through Dartmouth and Berea colleges, and takes a detour to study boat building by indigenous peoples in Asia and South America.

"I never imagined I would do anything like this," said Bingham, "this" being, among other things, carving a Canada goose the size of an RV out of a tree trunk for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

Carved animal figures have long been used as jumps or beside jumps at equestrian cross-country events, but it wasn't until January that Bingham tried his hand at the unusual artistic endeavor.

The 32-year-old has a habit of diverting from a path to try new things.

After growing up in Vermont, he went to Dartmouth College to study engineering. A few years of studying left him restless, and he was off to travel the globe, including spending time in Morocco. Because he wanted to get into the arts, he came to Kentucky and Berea College, graduating in 2005. He was then awarded a $25,000 Thomas F. Watson Fellowship to study native boat builders in places like Bolivia, Peru, Vietnam and Malaysia. Boat-building skills in those countries have evolved over thousands of years.

"I'm always up for a new adventure," he said.

Bingham had been making jumps at the Horse Park for about three years when Nick Costello, who oversees their building, realized he needed some new duck heads for this year's Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. His previous carver had moved to Australia, so Costello gave Bingham and two other workers a chance to see what they could do.

Bingham had never created art with a chain saw, but he had created art and he had used a chain saw. So he figured he probably could do it.

It turns out he could.

"Isaac is just wonderful. It was quite a surprise" said Costello, who's been working at the Horse Park for more than 20 years. "He's the best ever."

The cross-country course was created by world-renowned designer Mike Etherington-Smith, who is based in London, England. He maps the route that horse and rider will take and what sort of critters should inhabit various jumps.

Etherington-Smith dictates the height, width and depth of the sculptures and the types of animals, say "fish" or "frog," and then Bingham takes over.

It all starts with the right piece of wood. Costello said local tree services sometimes provide logs, but he also buys tree trunks or uses wood from trees at the Horse Park that need to come down.

Somehow Bingham can see the animal within the log. A burr oak could be a rainbow trout that is seemingly in motion or an orange and brown northern leopard frog that is both native to Kentucky and brightly colored so as not to blend into the grass and cause the horses to hesitate before they jump. (Bingham also paints the animals.)

"You free the animals from it," he said.

He sometimes uses the traditional sculpture skills he honed at Berea to make clay models for the wood works. But, he said, all the carving on the animals is done with chain saws of various sizes.

"I am never interested in doing that same thing that everyone else is doing," he said.

Bingham, whose father was a carpenter, said he grew up with sort of a blue-collar work ethic. "Being an artist," he said, "was never something I could wrap my mind around."

He's still a little amazed by his newfound skill and understands what a rare opportunity he has. It's not every emerging chain-saw artist who has access to the tools, including heavy equipment to lift and move the logs, needed to turn a tree trunk into a trout. But he think's he's found his niche, for now.

"Maybe I really am what I can call an artist," he said.

That, too, is a little bit of an understatement.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/09/07/1422896/artist-with-a-chain-saw-carves.html#ixzz0yw5hKPns

September 5th Fun Drive (including video)

What a blast this weekend was, with a fun drive at our farm! While Draken isn't in this particular video I did want to share it as it demonstrates what fun driving can be.

Let's see, there were two first time drivers (they drove Trick and Treat, our very good minis) and two horses that were new to our farm at the event. We had an obstacle course, a progressive cones course and two marathon type hazards set up. It's a fun day so we competed for candy bars and a giant donut.

Draken rocked through the hazards with a time of 1:43 but Mom doesn't let us compete for the candy bars. I've got to find someone else with a Standardbred to compete against. Dang horse beat everyone by at least 4 seconds (I think, after the event Mom thought the next fastest time was 1:57 but I thought it was 1:47.) Wiser, the Heflinger, had a smoking run and beat my Dad by 2 seconds. For me I did really good in the progressive cones but Kelly Clark had a clean run with a speedy time. The hazards we did good in, I have no idea what our time was, Keeper being driven by Howard Martin won that "class." The 'candy cane' poles created a nice optical illusion as you came down the little hill at them.

Most importantly though was the fact that everyone had a good time with lots of laughter, fantastic weather and a good potluck lunch.

Standardbred Star - Dreamy Starlet

Our Eventing horse is DREAMY STARLET, ridden by her owner Elizabeth Tewksbury from Cornish, Maine.

Pacing bred DREAMY, raced briefly in the New York Sire Stakes program as a two and three year old. She then retired to become a broodmare with four registered foals that went on to race. It wasn’t until Elizabeth and Dreamy got together that this mare’s talent would really shine. Elizabeth began her mare’s under saddle training four years ago, and she has worked hard with DREAMY, teaching her mare both dressage and jumping. The pair primarily competes in United States Dressage Federation recognized dressage shows at Training level, and Three-Phase Eventing competitions at the Beginner Novice level, but have also shown in “A” rated hunter under saddle and over fences classes. Elizabeth and DREAMY compete throughout New England and have shown three times at the National Standardbred Horse Show. In a relatively short time, Dreamy has won numerous ribbons and over fifty Year-End Awards. She was the 2007 National Standardbred Overall High Point Grand Champion and twice won the Maine Dressage Society’s Standardbred Horse of the Year Award.

Below are some videos from about two years ago. The first is Dreamy doing Dressage and the second is her in the Stadium Jumping phase, third is Cross Country.

Standardbred Stars - Veruca Salt

Laura Harbour and her mare Veruca Salt, have been together since 1997 and since that time the horse-crazy teenager and the little filly have come a long, long way.

Veruca Salt is more casually known as “LEGS” which is a tribute to the mare’s sire, Nuclear Legacy. Laura began training LEGS and before long, the pair was off on their journey into the world of hSorse showing. Laura incorporated everything from jumping to reining into her training regime. The early attempts were not what Laura had dreamed of, they finished last in every class they entered. But Laura believed in her mare, and followed her dream, of one day earning a National Title. She took her horse with her to college, where they became members of the University of Kentucky’s Equestrian Team. Slowly, success in the show ring actually began to happen. Those first successes were on the local hunter-jumper circuit, and then in 1998 the pair earned Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals in the Beginner Hunter and Field Hunter Division of the Bluegrass State Games, a Kentucky version of the Olympics. The cross training paid off with back to back Year End High Point Awards in Hunter and Western Divisions at the 1999 and 2000 Manley Farms Competition. 2001 brought gold medals in Senior Hunt Seat Equitation on the Flat and Over Fences and Senior Field Hunter at the Blue Grass Games. During the years between 2004 & 2009 at the Festival of the Horse Show in Georgetown, Ky., the pair earned a total of 18 First Place Ribbons; six of those placing were in the Open Western Horsemanship and Open Western Pleasure Classes. The Festival of the Horse Show also named them the 2005 Champion and 2008 Reserve Champion in Open Western Pleasure Division.

In 2007 Laura and “LEGS” journeyed to New Jersey for the National Standardbred Show… “LEGS” earned the National Title that Laura had been dreaming of for over ten years. In fact, they won every class they entered, and were awarded the Overall High Point Senior Horse. Together, they have proven many times, that there are no limits to the Standardbred’s abilities!

Sadly, Legs was diagnosed with navicular disease in 2008. With more than 150 blue ribbons to her credit, Legs has unwaveringly taken on Thoroughbreds, Warmbloods, and Quarter Horses in their own arenas and emerged victorious. She has earned her pension in green pastures many times over. The 2010 World Equestrian Games will likely be Legs’ retirement party.

Our training facility

Welcome to our training facility! Also known as our backyard. I just wanted to share the idea that you don't have to have a high-tech barn and driving course to prep a horse for competition. We've allowed the back 5 acres of our property (well, actually my parent's property) to grow up. We maintain a course throughout the area that allows for various turning radiouses, we have a water hazard (when the river is up), and a cones area. We have really worked with nature to create a fun, low-tech course. We also maintain most of the course throughout the winter for sleighing. We do the summer maintance with a lawn tractor and the winter course is rolled with a power trak. Draken is allowed to graze on the course during certain times of the year.

British Horse Driving Trials Association Videos

Interested in combined driving like you'll see at WEG? These are two British Horse Driving Trials Association videos from Cavewood Productions showing some of the competition that might be coming from Europe. These are two very different sounding videos so take the extra minute (okay, 1:27) to watch them both.  Very cool. 


Riesenbeck from Tim Maloy on Vimeo.


Holker from Tim Maloy on Vimeo.

Standardbreds at WEG - Exhibit times announced

The excitement is building!  We now know our exhibit schedule:

Sunday, October 3rd - 5:30pm in the Village Arena
Monday, October 4th - 6:00pm in the Village Arena
Tuesday, October 5th - 4:00 pm in the Village Arena
Wednesday, October 6th - 12:30pm in the Village Arena

I believe we are also trying to get some time in the "meet and greet" area but those times have not yet been confirmed.  Just as an FYI, the only people allowed in the stabling area are those with security passes, which means that the general public will not have access to the horses.  So...if you would like to see our wonderful horses please be sure to see us in the Village Arena!

Pour a little sugar on it!

Every morning Draken gets two handfuls of grain along with Magvet (a natural magnesium supplement)  and Hyalun (hyaluronic acid supplement for horses that supports healthy joint and cartilage function).  To make sure he eats all of the Magvet powder he gets a bit of corn syrup on his grain to hold it all together.  Since he licks his feed tub clean we think he likes it and it works well for us, except that the corn syrup can get messy.  Unfortunately we ran out of corn syrup. 

The first day Mom just gave it to him plain.  He ate it but you could see that wasn't going to last long without some incentive.  The second day, Mom gave him a handful of Dad's coffee sugar packets. Slurp!  Draken's tongue found every granule of sugar in that bucket. Then next day she tried a few less and it still worked.  Now he's down to one sugar packet with his breakfast (which is actually less than Dad puts in his coffee, lol) and is eating it right up.

Not that he can have them often but Draken is a sucker for a treat.  He really likes Skittles and Little Debbie Oatmeal Cookies.  But really, anything that makes a crinkly wrapper sound is fair game.  He does like soda but he will not drink it out of a can.  Pampered horse requires that it be in your hand or he's not interested. 

The picture up top is of Draken's stable mate, Aiken, drinking a soda straight from the bottle.  Aiken and my Dad are known to drive down to the local convenience store where they get a bottle of soda each.

You're probably wondering if sugar is good for horses and the answer is it's not any better for them than it is for us. Somehow though Draken and I still manage to eat the occasional cookie together.

WEG Health Requirements

We just a bit more that a month away from WEG!  Among other things this means that it's time for Draken's second round of  influenza vaccine.  We're being very vigilant with his health right now, especially as several horses in the area have experienced Potomic Horse Fever.

So what are the health requirements for WEG?  Well, for non-competitive horses the requirements are:

1) Routine Health Certification:


A Valid Certificate of Veterinary Inspection

Negative equine infectious anemia test certification within preceding 12 months (KY Regulation)

2) Influenza:

3) De-Worming:


Additionally all horse coming on to Kentucky Horse Park grounds for the event are required to follow the following rules:

A) Horses being brought onto the grounds for reasons other than competing in a FEI Governed WEG Event (ie demonstration) are required comply fully with the FEI's Regulation governing Influenza vaccination. Certification by a licensed veterinarian (via a signed letter) is required to be made that each equine being presented meets the stated standard of being vaccinated during the preceding 6 months and three weeks but no sooner than 7 days of entry onto the grounds.



B) Be accompanied at the time of entry with a Valid 30 Day Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI). Have attached to the CVI a certificate showing the equine being presented for entry has been tested for equine infectious anemia and been found negative. This testing will have occurred during the preceding 12 month period. The EIA test certificate must fully and positively identify the equine being presented for entry onto the Kentucky Horse Park.


C) Veterinary certification (form to be provided by WEG Veterinary Committee) that the animal being presented has been de-wormed with Ivermectin during the 21 day period preceding the animal's entry onto the Park's grounds.


D) At time of entry onto the grounds each horse will be inspected and the accompanying documentation examined for accuracy and verification of entry requirements. This procedure will be performed by a KY Dept Agriculture (KDA) Livestock Inspector or WEG qualified individual approved by the KDA.

Overall this isn't too different from a normal show. Typically, your horse will need a current negative coggins test and a Health Certificate if you're traveling with them at all.  The biggest difference for many is that the worming has to be observed by a vet.  That can be an unexpected cost if you're used to doing your own worming.  But ultimately, what's a few extra dollars when you're getting ready to go to the World Equestrian Games?  (lol, worming is cheap compared to the hotel, gas, training, feed,.....)

Hats - find the right carriage driving hat for you

If you're connected with me on Facebook then you've heard about my hat drama.  Simply put I was having trouble finding a hat that I liked and then, when I found it, having trouble getting it in time for the recent show.  To help eliminate hat drama in your life I'm going to share some of the websites that I have found helpful.

What is your hat style? http://www.hat-a-tude.com/whatsMyHatStyle.ivnu  This website doesn't necessarily have driving hats but they do share how to find the best hat for your face.  They also offer the advice "A hat should be no wider than the width of your shoulders. Broad shoulders...wide brim hat; narrow shoulders...short brim hat.  A tall or larger lady can wear a lot of hat. A petite lady will find a smaller hat more flattering. This refers to the overall size of the hat not just the inside diameter.  They also have some excellent advice on hat care and traveling with a hat.

How to wear your hat - A hat is meant to frame your face. The brim should be parallel to your eyebrows and a finger's width above them. Holding your hat, look inside the hat and line the label up so it will be centered at the back of your head when you wear it. Place the inside front edge of the hat on your forehead and put the hat down and back setting it down ON your head firmly.  It's very important when driving to make sure that your hat does not affect your vision or obscure your face.  Be careful with brims with an edge that drops down or brims that are too droopy.

Where to buy a hat? Tough question. Hats by Katie and DD Rapps are popular places to get carriage driving hats.  If you're showing at ADS shows then that may be the best option for you.  If you're showing at local shows or someplace that allows for a bit more individuality then Google 'church hats' to find a smorgasbord of options.  I've had good luck with DivineFashions.com and ElegantFamilyFashions.com (update as of 01/2013 this site appears to be out of business). One of the cool things about these sites is that they change seasonally.  If you don't see the color or style you like check back in a few months and they will have an entirely different selection.  By the same token, if you see something you like then you'd better buy it because they may not have it for long.

Colors - Your hat color should complement your vehicle and horse.  Green and browns go good with chestnut horses, etc.  HobbyHorse.com has a wonderful color wheel for matching horse colors with fabric colors. It is good to be aware that may judges still prefer a more conservative color. Some people suggest staying away from black but with the right hat I think it is fine.  Just make sure you don't look like a funeral.

I hope this helps you find the right hat for you without drama. 

Draken and Cancer

I just finished doing the Koman 3-Day for the Cure in Cleveland.  I started that project in part because my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005.  In 2006, she beat it and was chosen to be a representative for "Every Woman Counts in Chenango County."   This project was composed of 21 women who were photographed in their 'natural setting' while sharing their stories of why mammograms were so important to them.  My mother's photo included Draken.  Together these women helped reach out to others in the community.  The goal was 600 exams and they received commitments from 611 women.

Just a few weeks ago Mom got the call "Would she consider helping with the program again?"  Of course the answer was "Yes!"  The people from the Chenango Health Network came out and took another round of photos.  So, this October, during National Breast Cancer Month, if you see a photo of a woman with a horse promoting mammograms, well, that's probably my Mom and Draken.  Take their advice and get a mammogram.  Early detection definitely saves lives.

Looking sharp!

At home Draken is kind of a hippy.  He likes grass, growing his mane out and no fancy clothes.  In fact, I think he's happiest right after a bath - when you first turn him out he'll roll and roll and roll, until he's covered in dirt (see photo for evidence of such behavior).

Going out in public is another story though.  Draken likes to look sharp and he knows when a crowd appreciates him.  Draken will be keeping his flowing locks for WEG but he'll be adding a nice new halter compliments of JH Harness and a stall sheet from Finn Tack.  Thank you to both of these businesses for supporting the Standardbred 'Stars' and making sure all of 8 of us are looking sharp at WEG.

Practice, practice, practice

Since Draken lives in NY and I live in Pittsburgh sometimes it gets interesting when we want to learn a new skill.  In the days before gas became so expensive I used to drive home about every other weekend in the summer.  I don't board him in Pittsburgh as there is very little carriage driving here.  (There are lots of STBs as we're just a few miles from The Meadows Racetrack, just not the type of driving that we do.)  So when I do go home we try to put in some quality driving time.   When I'm not home my mom, Joyce Haak, takes him out a few times a week. 

Below is some video of us practicing our circles one handed. Many thanks to my Facebook friends for offering suggestions on going to the left, which we were struggling with when we started.

Showing at TVHA - Musical Driven Dressage

In our local area there are not any CDEs, the closest one is four hours away, but we do have some nice local shows through Tri Valley Horseman Assoc.  Draken and I competed this weekend in pleasure, reinsmanship, super reinsmanship, driven musical dressage, obstacles and halter.  We show in both open and ladies classes.  We came home with four blues, a red, two thirds and a fourth (I think).  Below is video from our driven dressage program. 

Overall, I was really happy with the program.  After watching the video I see that I need to work on picking my line back up after doing the one handed circles.  Draken did his 'spin' better to the right than the left but I think some of that was because he thought we was doing a regular dressage test where you continue down the line.  Next time I'll have to prep him a bit better.  Ideally I'd like to do more with him in the ring but you're only allowed three minutes.

Obstacle class penalties

In a recent post I mentioned that we are penalized for cantering at some shows.  Most pleasure shows do not allow cantering at all.  At the end of this post is the penalty structure for ADS obstacle class, one of the most common places accidental cantering occurs.  Most shows, including pleasure shows, have some type of obstacle class as drivers tend to really enjoy them.

For CDEs (Combined Driving Events) you can canter if you're competing in the higher divisions.  At the World Equestrian Games most of the teams will be cantering at some point, and that is definitely allowed.  This is a video of Gavin Robson driving a Four in Hand of Dutch Warmbloods at the 2009 Kentucky Cup and Lexington Combined Driving Classic - a 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games Test Event.  Something to keep in mind as you watch the video is that the cones are only set 6 inches wider than the carriage wheel base.


Penalties


a) Knocking over start or finish marker ................................................. 5 seconds

b) Knocking down or dislodging obstacle.............................................. 5 seconds

c) Break to canter

1st break to canter..................................................................... 5 seconds

2nd break to canter ................................................................... 5 seconds

3rd break to canter .................................................................... 5 seconds

4th break to canter .................................................................Elimination

Prolonged canter.............................................................................Elimination

d) Disobedience or groom(s) dismounting (cumulative over course)

1st incident................................................................................ 5 seconds

2nd incident ............................................................................ 10 seconds

3rd incident............................................................................Elimination

e) Starting before signal......................................................................Elimination

f) Failure to cross starting line within one minute of signal ..............Elimination

g) Off-course.......................................................................................Elimination

h) Outside assistance...........................................................................Elimination

i) Failure to carry whip (Article25B.4) .............................................Elimination

j) Use of a tie-down or overcheck .....................................................Elimination

k) Breakage of harness or vehicle .......................................................Elimination

l) Exceeding time limit (twice time allowed) .....................................Elimination

m) Entries that overturn .......................................................................Elimination

n) Failure of entire entry to pass through start or finish markers .................................................................................Elimination

Nine years ago today!

That's right, it's been 9 years!  The Lorenzo Driving Competition is this weekend and that was our first show in 2001.  Today was the Marathon, with some of the ring classes starting in the afternoon.  This photo by Gerry Hook shows Draken going through their water obstacle in 2009.

The marathon at Lorenzo is a "country" marathon.  That essentially means that all the hazards are natural.  It's not like a CDE or a Driving Trial where there are man-made hazards that you go through.  The marathon is similar to the second phase of eventing, the speed and endurance. It tests the fitness and stamina of the horses, as well as the driver's knowledge of pace.  This is where that 8 mile an hour trot plays an important part.  Even with a stopwatch, if you don't know how fast your horse is going then you're going to have a hard time meeting the optimal time.  You receive penalty points for going over or going under.

Do you ride him?

Draken under saddle
Originally uploaded by librarygirl01

Technically Draken does ride, in fact we won the 2007 SPHO Ride and Drive class. However, we very rarely ride him mainly because we prefer to drive. While I used to ride extensively I haven't in years. I'm sure if we practiced we would both be better at it. The reality is that he primarily gets ridden at holidays by my young nephew.

In 2008, my nephew was visiting. He was almost 5 years old and learning to ride. We have a Fjord in addition to Draken. My nephew decided that the Fjord was just too slow and that Draken is a National Champion Trotter :) We tried to see if that was a firm designation or if champion or maybe reserve champion would work - nope! Nothing but the best for my nephew!

One thing to note, with the SPHO Ride and Drive class they don't ask you to canter, some ride and drive classes do ask for a canter. Draken does canter (and enjoys doing so in the pasture) but for pleasure driving we only want him to trot (we get penalty points for more than three cantering strides) so we discourage cantering. Many trainers feel it is important to feel comfortable with your horse cantering in harness. It's a safety issue so that should they spook, both you and your horse know how to safely canter in harness. Draken knows how to canter and we're both okay with it.

First Drive

In 1999, I was excited to arrive at my parent's farm in Central NY as I was going to get to drive the new horse I had heard about. As soon as I arrived I hitched up and headed out, except we only took two steps before the horse stopped. Sure enough, examining the harness showed a buckle done wrong. That fixed we were off again. After a few turns around the pasture we headed off to town over bridges, railroad tracks and rumble strips. None of them caused a moments pause, that is until we reached home. There my mother asked how the horse was doing. I was full of praise, telling them all that we had done. My mother replied with "That's the first time he's ever been to town or on the road. He's fresh off the track."

That was the start of my relationship with Draken. Believing that if I just asked, he would be up to the task. In the eleven years since then he's won three SPHO national championships along with numerous regional and local awards.

It hasn't always been the easiest path, but it's certainly been worthwhile. Draken excelled at marathon and cones from the day we got him from the Morrisville College Standardbred Racing Program but with an average road gate of 13mph, slowing him down took many hours of trail driving, particularly on the part of my mother, Joyce Haak. In 2001, we attended our first show together (Lorenzo) but it wasn't until 2005 that we decided to enter the pleasure driving ring. That year Draken realized what this new thing that we were asking him to do was and he went from not placing in pleasure classes to winning his first SPHO national pleasure driving championship. Today, at age 18, Draken has received comments like "I've never seen a horse listen to you like he does" and "The horse really wants to do well" from some very well respected judges.

If you were going to sum up Draken, it's not what he does that makes him special, it's the presence and personality that he brings that makes him a living embodiment of the Standardbred spirit.

What is a Standardbred?

Standardbreds (STB) are a 'newer' breed, dating back just over 200 years, but it is a true American breed.  The name "Standardbred" originated because the early trotters were required to reach a certain standard for the mile distance in order to be registered as part of the new breed. The mile is still the standard distance covered in nearly every harness race.  At the racetrack Standardbreds race in one of two gaits - a trot or a pace.  (Draken raced as a pacer, meaning that his front and hind left side legs moved forward at the same time.  In the show ring Draken does not pace, he trots or moves his left front leg forward the same time he moves his right back leg forward.)

Many Standardbred resemble Thoroughbreds but they tend to be longer in body and shorter.  Most Standardbreds averaging between 15 and 16 hands and weigh between 800 and 1,000 pounds. STBs come in all colors but most are brown or bay.  They are well known of their easy going temperament.

Standardbreds on the racetrack generally trot the mile in under 2 minutes.  By comparison, the average horse has a speed of 8-10 miles an hour at the trot.  (When we first got Draken his average trot was between 13-15 miles per hour.  Through training, and age, Draken now averages about 8 miles an hour.) 

If you're interested in learning more about Standardbred racing please visit the United States Trotting Association.

May 2008 - The Journey Begins

We first started on this Journey to WEG with Draken way back in May of 2008.  At that time the USTA (United States Trotting Association) sent out a call looking for Standardbreds who would be interested in representing them at the World Equestrian Games.  Shortly thereafter, we sent in Draken's resume for consideration.

Draken’s Resume for Standardbred Ambassador


Draken (L24426)

Owned by Bruce and Joyce Haak

Shown by Kathleen Haak

Draken would make an extraordinary ambassador for the Standardbred industry at the 2010 FEI World Championships. He completed a successful racing career with Morrisville College, while teaching young adults about Standardbred racing. Since retiring in 2000, he has gone on to successfully compete in pleasure, marathon, cones and dressage driving. In addition, he has been the center of attention at clinics involving shoeing, harnessing, and driving in a wide variety of arenas - everything from local 4-H events to the Kentucky Horse Park. As a three-time SPHO national champion driving horse he shows off the best traits of a driving Standardbred.

Standardbreds are to other horses what DSL is to dial-up – simply a faster way of getting to your destination. Once standardbreds were prized for their speed and temperament, now they are seen as out-of-date. By exhibiting Standardbreds at the FEI World Championships the world will be reminded of their speed and willing temperament, making them excellent choices for endurance, driving and eventing. A Standardbred verse in the phases of competitive carriage driving is an excellent choice for an ambassador to the FEI World Championships.

Draken’s Accomplishments and Awards

2007

Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization – National Champion Driving Horse

Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization – William B. Weaver Harness Champion

Tri-Valley Horseman Association - High Point Performance Driving Horse

Tri-Valley Horseman Association - High Point Pleasure Driving Horse

Saratoga Driving Association Driving Trial – 4th Place Overall, 1st Place Marathon

Standardbred Pleasure Horse Weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park – participant

Carriage Roundup at the Kentucky Horse Park – participant in Parade of Breeds



2006

Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization – National Champion Driving Horse

Garden State Horse and Carriage Society show – 2 wins, placed in every class

Barneveld Horseman’s Association – Marathon Champion Trophy Winner

Dancing With Horses – 1st Place, Driven Dressage

Tri-Valley Horseman Association July Show – Driving Horse Champion



2005

Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization – National Champion Driving Horse

Barneveld Horseman’s Association – Reserve Champion Driving Horse

Tri-Valley Horseman Association July Show – Driving Horse Champion

Carriage Roundup at the Kentucky Horse Park – participant in Parade of Breeds


Draken in the News

Draken has been mentioned or featured in articles for:

The Whip

Horse Bits

AmeriCan Carriage Driver

Hoof Beats

Tri-Town News

Binghamton Press & Sun

www.Zootoo.com

www.Cowboy.com